Girl Meets the Unknown
by sand1128
Summary: The thoughts of the group 12:01am New Years Day-forward
1. Chapter 1: Shock and Awe

Girl Meets the Unknown

A/N: Don't own GMW

"Riley still loves Lucas" Farkle exclaims as Riley tries to head for the door. Riley stops dead in her tracks.

Reactions are swift and varied.

Yogi grabs Darby and heads for the door…followed quickly by the rest of their classmates.

Charlie picks up a sleeping Auggie and reluctantly heads towards the door. He so desperately wanted to start the New Year with Riley. He thought he had proven himself worthy of her. Looks like it was always going to be that damn cowboy.

Within seconds, it is just the 5 of them. Riley, Lucas, Maya, Farkle and Smackle

"I did the right thing. I hope you all can forgive me. Happy New Year" Farkle tells the remaining group on the roof as he grabs Smackle's hand. Smackle is taken aback by his announcement but realizes that this was not the time or place to discuss it with him.

He tries in vain to catch Riley's eye but she has not looked up from her feet.

His feelings are all over the place.

He feels bad for just shouting it out but _SOMEONE_ had to protect Riley. He's not quite sure what her "sister" is thinking but he knows her first thoughts are not about Riley. They couldn't be. There is no way Maya would have "bought" the brother story if she was thinking clearly. Isn't there a girl code that you don't date your friend's crushes or exes? There is definitely something going on with Maya and after Riley is back to being Riley, he will help Maya any way he can. He knows there is no way the group functions without Riley. She is the glue that holds them all together. The artist, the cowboy jock and the genius only came to be because of the dreamer. She was their conscience, their joy, their never ending hope, how could he not worry about her first knowing that she is thinking of everyone, but herself? He knows that he has potentially affected his friendships with them but he also knows that they would have fallen apart without her. He hopes they can forgive him but is prepared if they don't. Yes, it would hurt if he loses their friendship but he knows that it would have _**killed**_ him to see Riley as just a shadow of herself.

Maya is stunned into silence.

She wonders what she's missed. How did she not know that her "sister" still loved him? She's mad at Farkle because his sacrifice only makes her realize that she has not been paying attention to Riley. She's mad at Riley because how could she not tell her that she doesn't see him as her brother. She's mad at herself when she realizes that she wants what Riley has…stability. She wants the stability of a happy home life, the stability of her friend circle and the stability that comes with having feelings for the same guy since the day you met. She wants someone to look at her, the way Lucas looks at Riley…the way Corey looks at Topanga. How could she not want the epic love story The Matthews shared? The one that looked like Riley was going to repeat? And as unfair as it may be, she's a little annoyed with Lucas. He has not had much to say since they got back from Texas. If he didn't think they were siblings, like he indicated at the campfire that night, why didn't he fight Riley's proclamation harder?

Lucas is torn between being ecstatic and being angry.

Ecstatic because he still has, has always had, strong feelings for Riley. He's angry with them all. Farkle for just announcing Riley's feelings in front of everyone and for not telling him what he knew. Maya for not realizing what Riley was doing, he counts on her to help him make sure Riley is protected. Riley for blindsiding him with the brother talk and for expecting him to just accept her decision without protest. Mostly, he is mad at himself. He knows he should have made them official a long time ago. He knows that he is changing, for the better, because of her. She is the first thing on his mind when he wakes and the last thing on his mind when he drifts off to sleep. His day doesn't really begin until he sees her smile or hears her laughter. He knows that he went along with everything to make her happy because he would do anything for her, even sacrifice his happiness. He knows, now, that he should have paid more attention to the things that made her doubt what he felt for her. Looking back now he realizes that things started to change around the time of the semi-formal. He should have known that she was feeling insecure about their relationship when he saw her reaction to the yearbook superlatives. The fact that something so unimportant could change his sunshine so dramatically should have been a clue. How could he not realize he was losing the most important person in his life? How could he not fight with everything he had to make sure she knew how vital she was to him? Now, he hopes that he is given the chance to do it all again, the right way… to make sure she never doubts his feelings again.

Riley is certain that her world has just gotten turned completely upside down.

She never expected Farkle to follow through on his threat. Deep in her heart she knows he did it for her. Just like she gave up Lucas for Maya. Isn't that what she was supposed to do? Sacrifice herself for her best friend, her "sister"? She had the ability to make Maya happy, how could she not do everything in her power to make it happen? Sure, looking back now, she never really took his feelings into account but things had been rocky between them for a while. She convinced herself that he didn't know how to tell her that his feelings had changed. She was convinced they had to have changed and that has to be why he didn't ask her to the dance, why he didn't push harder for the class to understand that he & Maya weren't a couple, why he never made them "official". So, she did what she was certain was best. She let him know that she didn't see him the same way anymore so that he wouldn't worry about how to tell her that he felt differently. She made sure he knew that she always wanted him to be a part of her life and she let him go. Maya and Lucas would be happy together, she was sure of it. So she cried herself to sleep every night and got sick to her stomach every time she saw them together, but she tried with all her might to stay Smiley Riley. She knows she lied to Farkle, she had no intention of telling them how she felt. What she failed to realize is that Farkle knows her just as well as she knows herself, that he would do everything to make sure she was protected, even from herself.

No one knows what's going to happen next.

They all know in their hearts and minds that they need each other to face what lies ahead.

They all feverishly hope and pray that this has not destroyed their group.

That the friendship bond between the artist, the cowboy jock, the genius and the dreamer are strong enough to weather this storm.

That by trying to be everything to everyone, they haven't totally lost sight of who they really are.


	2. Chapter 2: Just An Illusion

Just an Illusion

A/N: The next few chapters are based on 3 tweets I read from the GMWWriters account

Tweet 1: Nobody's guessed the story? Biggest clue in the pilot. This continues in GMThe New Year.

Tweet 2: Friday: Triangle. Why? It was clear from the pilot. What's the secret of life? Oh, for those of you who don't like triangles... It isn't.

Tweet 3: Minor issues resolve quickly. This won't. Because if you know us, you know we'll do much more than a triangle. This all began in the pilot

Here's my take: I think that Riley is stepping back in a pseudo attempt to "be" Maya. In the pilot, Riley says she wants to be just like Maya and makes some small effort to become her in class. Riley thinks too much and Maya doesn't think at all. Riley's decision to "brother zone" Lucas was done without any real thought. The secret of life is that people change people. The last few episodes have given the illusion that Riley and Maya have changed places. I ship Rucas and I am praying the writers resolve this situation without destroying Rilaya.

I'm trying something a little different this time around. I have found that most of you appreciate the more detailed looks at the minds and feelings of each character so these chapters are going to be very introspective. I plan to do one for Lucas, Riley and Farkle. I struggle writing in Maya's POV, I will attempt to write one but I don't know how it will go. I will go back to writing more interactive scenes and fluff but find myself curious to see if we see/think the same things about how each of them truly think/feel. Please read and review- even if you want to tell me it sucks and you hate it…but please give me a quick reason why you hate it.

January 2,2016

The 4 friends hadn't talked to each other in 2 days. No one quite knew what to do about what happened on the roof that night.

Lucas was desperate to get in touch with Riley. He wanted her to talk to him about her feelings…not Farkle…. not Maya… him. He desperately needed to understand what her thought process was. What brought them to this point and more importantly- where they went from there.

Lucas was extremely nervous about the conversation they needed to have. If it didn't go well, there was a chance he could lose her completely. He would do anything to prevent that from happening. He's not sure he could survive not having her in his life in some capacity. It is said that people come into our lives when we need them the most. Some will help you while others will hurt you. The ones that help you become an important part of your life's journey. Outside of his family, Riley is the most important part of his journey. She has such a unique spirit that you can't help but be affected by it. She truly is one of those people who betters your life the minute they become a part of it. He has seen it firsthand. Almost from the second they met and she graced him with her mega-watt smile, he was hooked. How could he not be? After leaving Texas he was certain that no matter where he went- he was going to hate it. His family and friends were still there but he was sent to New York for a fresh start. Within a few weeks of meeting Riley, the pain of leaving Texas started to fade. NY and his friends there became home. Over time he was glad he was given the opportunity to start anew. His new friends didn't know of his turbulent past and once Zay let some of the details slip he thought for sure he would lose her. She is too kind hearted to understand using your fists as problem "solvers" but he underestimated her. She was hurt that he felt he needed to keep a part of himself secret from her. She doesn't and never has expected perfection but she demands honesty. Ironic now that it has been revealed that she is the dishonest one.

Lucas wonders if there were signs that he missed. Signs that told him her feelings were changing, signs that would have told him that he was in danger of losing one of the most important people in his world. Try as he might, he could only find fault with HIS actions or lack thereof. In retrospect, he realizes that things started to falter around the time of the Semi-Formal dance and the yearbook coming out. He didn't ask her to the dance because he assumed they were going together, after all they had an "unofficial thing" going. When he found out Charlie had asked her he was shocked. When Charlie indicated he had seen both sides of her notebook, shock gave way to fear. The fear of losing Riley, his Riley, stayed and actually grew worse when she became "Morotia M. Black". She became the opposite of herself. Thankfully, it was a short-lived change. It occurs to Lucas that everyone in their class saw them as being too alike. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sure they have similar traits but for the most part, they are opposites. She is the yin to his yang, the calm to his storm, his voice of reason, and when he starts to go to a dark place, she pulls him back towards the light. When she was being bullied, he was prepared to sacrifice all the progress he had made with her dad and his temper to take care of the situation, for her. Someone like her should never have to deal with the ugly side of human behavior. She floored him when she dealt with it herself. Not by using fists as he would have, but by being completely open and honest about who she is.

Even in Texas, she pushed aside her worries for him and became his personal cheerleader. He told her how important she was to him, she replied in kind but then dropped the bombshell

"You're my brother Lucas and I am your sister" Riley said her brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Her stare never wavered. He was stunned. "That's what you think we are?" he asked already dreading her response. How was it possible that they while they were physically only inches apart, they were in different universes emotionally? He could feel himself shutting down, it was the only way he could control himself. "That's what I think we are" she repeats as she leans forward and kisses his cheek. His heart skips a beat as she leans forward and begins to race as she says "I love you Lucas and now I know how" In the span of 90 seconds he went from feeling like he could soar with the eagles to feeling absolutely gutted. It's amazing that he kept his composure when he so desperately wanted to alternately love her and shake her until she took it back. It is only through the changes he made, since meeting her, that he was able to remain stoic and silent. Had she looked into his eyes at that moment, she would have seen the devastation her announcement brought.

He tried to tell her that he didn't see them in those roles while they sat around the campfire.

"Riley- what are we?" he demanded

"I told you what we are" there was a slight crack in her voice. He hoped that this meant that she was lying.

"What if that's not what I think we are?" he had to try again.

"Well, then, you better start thinking of us like that" no…no….no…. he did not want to think of them like that.

Later he recalls that Riley told him that Maya liked him. He remembers hearing her tell Maya "You stepped back. I know you stepped back." Is that what brought all of this on? Did Riley feel like she had to change their roles because of Maya? He knows that they consider themselves sisters, that there isn't anything that one wouldn't do for the other. He decided to step back himself and become a pawn in their little game. It would be the only way he could truly understand what was happening.

When they returned to school, things got worse. Suddenly, Maya was telling Riley that something happened between them. The only thing that happened was a near kiss. Looking back, he knows that Riley is the reason he couldn't kiss Maya. He grabbed Maya's face as a knee jerk reaction to her teasing but when he found himself looking into blue eyes instead of brown, he froze. Before Maya could offer further details and before he could apologize, Riley was telling Charlie Gardiner that she would go out with him. Lucas was convinced in that moment that the fates were playing volleyball with his heart.

From that point forward, Lucas kept a part of himself shut off. It was the only way he could get through the day without demanding that Riley take it all back. They swore that they loved talking to each other but at that moment he realized that they were never able to talk to each other about the most important topic, them.

It wasn't until Charlie told him about Riley's New Year's Eve party, that he realized he had lost her, completely. After promising that they would always be a part of each other's lives, their friendship now felt hollow. Gone were the long talks about everything and nothing. Gone were the shy smiles and shy glances they shared. Gone were the megawatt smiles and infectious laughter he counted on to brighten his day. Now they exchanged polite greetings, no friendlier than what two strangers passing on the street or two former acquaintances would share. How had things gotten so bad? When did he go from someone she loved to just someone she used to know?

Then came Farkle's shocking announcement, "Riley still loves Lucas" still echoes in his ears. Is it true? Why didn't he tell him before announcing it in front of everyone? Farkle could have ended his misery with 4 words.

Now he finds himself waiting and wishing he could just demand that they talk. He doesn't know if, after everything has happened, he and Riley will ever find themselves an "official" couple. He hopes that there is still a chance for them, that she will once again share her Riley magic with him. But of everything he misses about her, it is how she completes him that he misses most. It never fails to amaze him how quickly and completely she changed him just by accepting him, flaws and all. He feels himself re-opening the parts of himself that he shut down. He knows now that this will only be resolved on her schedule and he is impatiently biding his time.

Will the old Riley be a part of his life going forward?

Will this new "Maya" version of Riley be the norm?

Will he forever wonder which part of her is an illusion?


	3. Chapter 3: Tough Love

A/N: The next few chapters are based on 3 tweets I read from the GMWWriters account

Tweet 1: Nobody's guessed the story? Biggest clue in the pilot. This continues in GMThe New Year.

Tweet 2: Friday: Triangle. Why? It was clear from the pilot. What's the secret of life? Oh, for those of you who don't like triangles... It isn't.

Tweet 3: Minor issues resolve quickly. This won't. Because if you know us, you know we'll do much more than a triangle. This all began in the pilot

Here's my take: I think that Riley is stepping back in a pseudo attempt to "be" Maya. In the pilot, Riley says she wants to be just like Maya and makes some small effort to become her in class. Riley thinks too much and Maya doesn't think at all. Riley's decision to "brother zone" Lucas was done without any real thought. The secret of life is that people change people. The last few episodes have given the illusion that Riley and Maya have changed places. I ship Rucas and I am praying the writers resolve this situation without destroying Rilaya.

I'm trying something a little different this time around. I have found that most of you appreciate the more detailed looks at the minds and feelings of each character so these chapters are going to be very introspective. I plan to do one for Lucas, Riley and Farkle. I struggle writing in Maya's POV, I will attempt to write one but I don't know how it will go. I will go back to writing more interactive scenes and fluff but find myself curious to see if we see/think the same things about how each of them truly think/feel. Please read and review- even if you want to tell me it sucks and you hate it…but please give me a quick reason why you hate it.

January 2,2016

The 4 friends hadn't talked to each other in 2 days. No one quite knew what to do about what happened on the roof that night.

Farkle was full of mixed emotions. He desperately wanted to talk to his friends and see if they understood why he did it. He knows that all of them are in an unknown place right now and it scares him. It scares him to think that he may lose his best friends. But he also knows that he HAD to do it. He couldn't let Riley sacrifice her happiness for Maya. He couldn't stand by and watch as she slowly changed. Oh, he knew she would change and that it would be slow and painful. Sure she would act like she was happy for Maya and Lucas but that's all it would be… an act. She would slowly change from Smiley Riley to only a shell of herself. One of the things he loves most about Riley is that she does everything wholeheartedly, she doesn't know any other way. She is the glue that keeps their little group together but more importantly, she is what keeps _him_ together. She is his best friend, the one that he can turn to for advice on any subject, for help on any topic and know without fail he will get it. He is closer to Riley than Maya because Riley is not as guarded. She hasn't had the heartbreaks that Maya had so she is more open. When he was dealing with a bully in school, she was the one who figured it out. She was the one who refused to let him change to appease the bully. When Riley was being bullied, he was the one to figure it out. He knew that no matter how any of his other friends reacted, (he admits that he was scared by Lucas that day) he would race to her side and offer his full support. She wouldn't let any of them deal with an issue alone so he was damn sure not going to let her do it.

Everyone laughs when he says he's been in love with her since the first grade. They don't understand that it is true, he still loves her, though not in the same way anymore. Now instead of a romantic love, he loves her like a sister. Everything changed when she fell for Lucas. It was after watching them together that he realized that while he loved her, he would never be able to bring the sheer look of joy to her face like he did. It helps that he views Lucas as one of his best friends too. He knows what type of guy Lucas is and it makes him glad that one of his first loves fell for a decent guy. He thought that they were made for each other, that they belonged together. He couldn't imagine Lucas ever hurting her, so he never imagined he would have to worry about HER hurting Lucas. There is no doubt in his mind, that Lucas is hurt, confused and probably a little angry. Everything seemed to happen in the blink of an eye and that's what worries him the most.

Riley is a planner, a weigh all options kind of girl so when she lied to Lucas and called him her brother, Farkle was floored. He knew she didn't view Lucas that way and he was certain that she would have talked to him about her changing feelings if they had in fact started to change. That is one of the best things about their friendship, they can discuss everything and anything. No topic is off-limits; it is how they work. Once he saw her with Charlie, he knew that the girl with him was not his Riley. Her smile was gone, she tried to pass off a smile once or twice but it never reached her eyes. She no longer looked carefree, instead she looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Knowing that she would never admit to it, he knew that she was suffering. He was the only one in the group to realize it. He's not surprised that Lucas didn't see it as he has been in a constant state of confusion since they got back from Texas. Had things been normal, Lucas would have been quick to point out the changes in Riley and would have demanded that she tell him what was wrong so that he could fix it. Lucas would move heaven and earth to make sure she was ok. Even now, he was certain that if Riley asked Lucas for help, with anything, for any reason, his friend would not hesitate.

However, he is surprised and disturbed that Maya hasn't noticed or if she has, her apparent lack of concern is even more troubling. There was a time when he was certain that the two knew everything about each other, noticed every breath, every eye blink, they were best friends, nothing could come between them or so he thought. Things have been off between the 2 girls for a while. He's not sure when things started to change but he knows that they have. He doesn't understand Maya right now and as cold as it may seem, Riley is his priority. Yes, he considers Maya one of his closest friends and at one time, thought she would be the first Mrs. Farkle Minkus, but he finds himself angry with her. Angry that she doesn't seem to care what her actions are doing to Riley. He knows that it's not fair and that she is not totally to blame but he can't help the way he feels. He wants to feel more sympathy for Maya but he's struggling to do so. He can't understand how her "sister" doesn't realize that Riley is hurting. He realizes that while he is a genius when it comes to "stuff" he is a novice when it comes to matters of the heart.

He's not sure what will happen between Lucas and Riley, he can only hope that they find their way back to each other. He knows without a doubt that Riley still loves Lucas and he is anxious to see how Lucas feels about Riley, based on his reactions, he feels that Lucas still has very strong feelings for her. He hopes that this whole mess has not destroyed any chance of them becoming an "official" couple. But most importantly, he wants the 4 to remain friends, that their bond is strong enough to weather this storm. But, if he is honest with himself, he knows that things will never go back to being the same. He worries that he will have to choose between Riley and Lucas. While he considers Lucas one of his best friends, he will always choose Riley. Hopefully it won't come to that. He wants them all to remain a big part of his life.

In the end, he knows he did the right thing. He knows that he had to say something in order to be able to look at himself in the mirror every day.

If he stood back and let Riley shatter, he would have shattered right along with her.

Sometimes, being a brother, means having to use tough love…even when it hurts you too.


	4. Chapter 4: Who Am I

January 2,2016

The 4 friends haven't talked to each other in 2 days. No one quite knows what to do about what happened on the roof that night.

Riley is sitting in her bay window staring out at the stars. Her family is asleep, as she should be, but she can't get her mind to slow down. Every time she closes her eyes, all she can see is Farkle announcing her feelings for Lucas.

She never thought that Farkle would follow through on his threat to tell them himself. He swore that everyone deserved to know that she still loved Lucas. Never minding the fact that _**she**_ didn't want them to know. She had convinced herself that Lucas would be happy with the "Blonde Beauty". She was certain that she was doing the right thing. She could do this; she would make sure she was still Smiley Riley when she was around everyone. Later, when she was alone she would give in to the tears that always seemed to be shimmering just below the surface these days.

Once she realized that Maya had feelings for Lucas and that Lucas, more than likely, returned them, how could she not step back? Maya stepped back for her when they first met Lucas, how could she not do the same? How could she not do everything in her power to make her "sister" happy? Sure, it hurt that she had to give up Lucas but there were sure to be other boys and she would only ever have one sister.

The questions run through her mind at an alarming speed. Am I the type of person who always plays it safe? Is this who I'm going to be for the rest of my life? Am I ever going to take a risk that changes my destiny? (Mom) Why would you want to be Maya? (Maya) You still wanna be like me? You're going to save me, aren't you? (Lucas) Riley, what are we? What if that's not what I think we are?

Followed closely by her father's lessons "You're just like me" "You missed the moment to stand by your girl. You were so busy trying to be her, Riley, that you forgot the best thing you can do for her is be you." "The secret of life, People change people". "History shows that bad things happen when you don't know who you are."

Her head was spinning. She was certain she was doing the right thing…. almost certain any way. She did what she thought was best for all concerned. Maya, her sister, deserved every opportunity to be happy. How could she not do everything in her power to help her be happy? Lucas could make her happy. There has been something growing between them for a while. She wishes she had realized it and then maybe the lack of a Semi Formal invitation wouldn't have hurt so much. She knows the "best couple" would have hurt a lot less if she had seen what everyone else saw but she didn't see it until Texas.

Once she put two and two together, she convinced herself that the only thing she could do was let Lucas go, let him know that he was too important to her to potentially lose over a relationship gone bad. She told him that she loved him like a brother and if it broke her heart to do so, none of her friends were the wiser…or so she thought.

She should have known that Farkle would know she was lying. He was her best friend and always had her best interests at heart. He was the one to figure out that she still had more than brotherly feelings for Lucas. She tried to deny it but he knew better. He tried to convince her to tell Lucas how she truly felt because the 4 had never lied to each other and she deserved to be happy too. She tried to buy more time but he wasn't having it. When she tried to leave the roof without saying anything- he calmly stated "Riley still loves Lucas" and for a few brief moments, her heart stopped. How could he do this to her? Why didn't he understand that she was doing what was best? He and Lucas are best friends; didn't he think about how Lucas would feel when he made his announcement? What about Maya's feelings?

She rests her head against the window, tears flow freely down her face. Here, in the dark of night, alone in her room, she can admit to herself, that yes, she still loves Lucas. Seeing him still brings the butterflies, in her stomach, to life, still makes her pulse race and brings a grin to her face. She also can admit that she feels like she doesn't deserve him. That he should be with someone who doesn't have her tendency to be goofy, her tendency to be so insecure. She is certain that his feelings for her had faded a long time ago and being a nice guy, he just didn't know how to tell her. She tried to move on with Charlie but quickly realized that it was not fair to either of them. Charlie deserved to be with someone who wanted to be with him and only him, not someone who was desperately trying to move on from someone else.

Now she is terrified. How much has Farkle's announcement cost her? She has already forgiven Farkle, although she hasn't told him yet, he was only looking out for her. She has no idea what Lucas and Maya are thinking. She worries that they are upset and she can almost hear Farkle telling her to worry about herself…that no matter what they are thinking, she has to put herself first.

She can hear her dad, as if he was standing next to her right now, telling her "Riley, do you know what I want more than anything? Go ahead. Make it yours.(world)" but she also can hear her mom reminding her that they will always be right there, no matter what happened. That she is Riley Matthews, from Greenwich Village, New York City, the United States of America, the continent of North America, the western hemisphere, the Earth, the Solar System, the universe, the mind of God and she deserves to be happy too.

Now she wonders, how does she make it her world without jeopardizing who she is and without losing those that she loves?


	5. Chapter 5: We Wait

We Wait

A/N: Don't own GMW

January 2,2016

Cory and Topanga are sitting on the couch with their after dinner coffee. Things have been strangely quiet since New Year's Eve. They know what happened on the roof that night, Farkle stopped by, on his way out, to tell them.

"What are we going to do Cory?"

"There's nothing we can do honey; we have to let them sort this out for themselves."

"No, I refuse to believe that. How can I sit here and not do anything while my baby girl is sitting in her room with a broken heart? There has to be something we can do. You have taught them so many lessons, isn't there one to apply here?" Topanga is at her wits end. She feels so helpless. It is her job, as a mom, to fix what hurts. She longs for the days when a kiss from mommy and a Band-Aid cured most ills. This is different and she will readily admit, that she is worried about all of them.

"There are a lot of lessons that apply here but we are going to wait until Riley comes to us for advice. Believe me, it's killing me to just sit here. I would like nothing more than to fix everything, to be her knight in shining armor…that's what daddies are supposed to do. But I can't, we can't, do anything until she is ready to talk to us. If we push her to talk before she is ready, we run the risk of making things worse and no one wants to see that happen."

"Damn it, I hate when you are right." Topanga shrugs her shoulders.

"Hey, it doesn't happen often and believe me, I don't want to be right about this. I want to be the super hero who saves the day." Cory says sadly.

"You are still her super hero, it's just now, it's harder to see what hurts. Especially, when it comes to matters of the heart. Is it bad that at this moment I wish I could blame Lucas?"

"You know if he could be blamed, I would but he is the innocent one in all of this. I think he is confused and hurt by everything that has happened. I think he is trying to do what Riley wants even though it's not what he wants. As much as it pains me to admit, I think Riley couldn't have picked a nicer kid to like. Lucas is a respectful young man…. too good-looking for his own good but he is a smart, respectful kid. He and Riley are alike in some aspects and complete opposites in others. If anything, I think he and Maya are more alike (than Riley and Lucas). They could be siblings. I told him today…"

"Wait! You talked to him today?" Topanga interrupts.

"Yes, I've spoken to him the last 2 days. He calls me to check on Riley. He figures she is not ready to talk to anyone but he has been worried about her so he checks in with me. I'm supposed to text him when/if Riley is ready to talk. I have to text Farkle too."

"Have you spoken to him too?" Topanga's heart is beating a little faster. She can't help but be a little impressed that Lucas reached out to check on Riley. She's not surprised about Farkle, but he has been one of Riley's best friends forever. She hopes that this is a good sign.

"Yes, he has been calling to check up on Riley too. I think he is afraid that she won't forgive him for telling everyone how she feels. He told me that he felt like he had to, that Riley deserves to be happy and it's only fair that Lucas knows the truth. He said that Lucas was devastated when Riley "brother-zoned" him in Texas. Apparently, Lucas had just told Riley that he wouldn't have survived NY without her and that she was very important to him. She told him that he was very important to her too and then talked about how they are brother/sister."

"I wonder what put that thought in her head? She has NEVER had just sisterly affection for him. I remember how happy she was after the "No Cell phone" assignment, she floated around here for days" Topanga finishes her coffee and gets up to put the mug in the dishwasher.

"I don't know. I just hope that this gets resolved soon. I need my daughter back. It has been so awkward in her class; that I've actually had to stick to my lesson plans. The rate this is going, Farkle will find out what happened in Belgium in 1831."

"We all need her back. Nothing is the same with her like this." Topanga returns to the couch sitting as close to Cory as she can.

"I know, but all we can do is wait." Cory picks up her hand and weaves their fingers together. It's done without thought…

"So we will wait. I wonder if our parents went through the same thing with us. Falling in love can be tough"

"Believe me, I know the story but I also know- I wouldn't want it any other way." Cory leans in and gives Topanga a quick kiss.

"Me too, honey, me too" Topanga replies as she snuggles into Cory's side.

All is quiet in the Matthews household…. for now.


End file.
